


A Christmas-y A-Z

by HamishHolmes



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-01
Updated: 2013-12-22
Packaged: 2018-01-03 02:24:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 9,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1064629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HamishHolmes/pseuds/HamishHolmes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a collection of stories based on the alphabet. One will be uploaded every day during advent and two on Christmas Day.    Happy Christmas!!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Abbozzo - Preliminary Sketch

**Author's Note:**

> This one takes place on the last Christmas before they get their baby girl.

Sam was sorting out the piles of junk on their bedroom floor, because they were going to let Dean and Cas stay in it in a couple of days time at Christmas. He threw all the clothes into a big basket that he intended to take up into the loft to hide for the next week instead of actually doing the washing.

He was just about to take the whole basket out into the hall and bring the hoover in to clean the room, when he noticed a pile of papers underneath the bed. He put the basket down on top of the bed and bent down to look. He pulled the pile out from there and pulled it into his lap. The top piece was blank, but when Sam lifted it off, he could see a vague, sketchy outline of a long, lanky body. He flipped through the sketches, until, at about the fourth one down, he noticed a resemblance to himself. He could see the half-details of his hair and a plaid shirt. He felt as though he had stumbled across something very private of Gabe’s and began to put them back under the bed, but before he could manage to put them back, the door swung open.

“I hope you aren’t just thinking of hiding all those cloth-” Gabe trailed off as he saw Sam sat there sheepishly with a stack of papers in his hands, “well, I guess under the bed is only a good hiding place so long as the floor is filthy.”

“G-Gabe, I’m so sorry I…”

“Nah, don’t worry about it. I just don’t really talk about my art to most people. But I guess, you’re not most people.”

Gabe sat down next to Sam and pulled the bottom piece from the pile. It was a nearly completed sketch of the two of them. Gabe was stood behind Sam with his arms around his shoulders. They both wore goofy grins and Sam recognised it as a drawing of a photo shoot that they had been at with Cas and Dean a couple of months ago. Their brother’s had a couple of the photos hanging around their house on massive canvases.

“This is amazing,” said Sam, staring at the A4 drawing. It was nearly finished with only a couple of -facial details missing and he turned to Gabe, who looked distinctly red. 

“It’s not bad; I used a photo to copy from, so we’re in proportion.”

“When it’s finished, can we hang it?” asked Sam, turning to Gabe.

“Really?” asked Gabe, one eyebrow raised.

“Yeah, we’ll hang it for Christmas.”

“Alright, one Christmas hanging coming up.”

Sam laughed and they went downstairs, carrying the artwork with them.


	2. Bacchanal - Drunkard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one's set in a 'verse with no kids and a long standing relationship.

It was late on the 23rd of December and Gabe had decided to go out with Balthazar and Anna, as -tradition dictated, and get inordinately pissed. They left the house at seven in the evening and Sam decided to have a bath given that his mocking man was out.

Gabe, Balth and Anna headed along their road on foot, well aware that driving home in the state that they intended to be in by the end of the night would be a terrible idea. They made it to the first bar, _The Hairy Lemon_ , and went inside. They sat down at the bar and each had a couple of pints, before moving on. They toured the rest of the bars that they usually frequented, drinking various different drinks and mixing their alcohols. They ended up, by 11, at _The Roadhouse_ , a bar owned by their friend Ellen. 

“Hey, guys,” she said as they walked in, pulling them all a round of their favourite beers.

They were a little loud at that point and Gabriel was loudly congratulating Balthazar on managing to ‘catch’ Anna whilst she was still young and beautiful, which had them all cackling loudly and rocking on their stools. Ellen raised one eyebrow and then moved on to serve her less rowdy customers. They continued to drink until half past until Ellen told them that it was last calls and they all finished off the night with a glass of Egg-nog. Balthazar and Anna only lived about two doors down from The Roadhouse and so they went home, leaning on each other and singing loudly.

Gabe headed out, retracing their steps in order to reach his house and his bed. But after about five minutes, he reached The Roadhouse again. He looked up at the sign, blinking wildly the he rolled his eyes and sat down in front of it.

“I’m an angel wiv a shho’gun,  
Fightin’ till va war’s done.” He sang loudly, leaning back against the door of the pub.

Once he finished his drunken rendition of _Angel with a Shotgun_ he tried to stand, but he ended up back on his butt. He pulled his phone from his pocket and speed dialled Sam.

“Hey, Gabe,” said Sam, and Gabe could hear his raised eyebrow, “you a little drunk?”

Gabe grinned, “Yup. I am shmashed. Can you come pick me up?”

“Of course, where are you?” asked Sam, who was already pulling on his jacket and finding his keys.

“Outside the Roadhouse,” said Gabe, finally succeeding at getting to his feet, albeit shakily.

“I’ll be with you very soon,” said Sam and they hung up.

When Sam arrived, he found his boyfriend wrapped around a lamp and telling a tree that it didn’t count as cheating. Sam pulled Gabe gently off, but he was reaching for the tree and calling out for it to forgive him, so he just picked him up and carried him into the car.

And that's how Gabe spent Christmas Eve. with a great hangover.


	3. Calefacient – Warming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is set in a two kid 'verse.

Gabriel and Sam were at the park with Robby, their little boy, and Jo, their little girl. Robby was wearing a little blue jacket and a hat. Jo was wearing a button-up jacket and a long scarf. Both men were wearing jackets and gloves. The snow was quite high about their feet, so both children were lifting their knees high. Gabriel was watching them struggle through the snow with great mirth, until he realised that he too had to lift his feet higher than normal. Sam had been struggling to push the pushchair through the high snow, so he gave up and merely picked the buggy up. Sam and Gabe stopped and watched their little ones romping in the snow for a bit before Sam yelled, “SNOWBALL FIGHT!” and promptly launched one at Gabe’s head. The children looked at them a bit warily, probably fearing that their parents had gone mad. Then Sam scooped up another handful and gave it to Jo, who threw it in the vague direction of Robby, where if splattered across his front. Gabriel started handing snowballs to the little boy and it wasn’t long before they were engaged in all out war. The children toddled between sides amongst shouts of: “That’s it, come to Daddy.” And “Papa loves you more.” The adults threw snowballs mercilessly at each other and gently tapped the children with smaller balls. Passers-by smiled and called encouragement to their favoured teams. When one of them yelled, “Come one, Shorty!” Gabriel turned and threw one in an almost horizontal line where it hit the speaker on the chest. Gabriel was smirking when another snowball struck him on the back of the head and he turned back to the matter at hand, forgetting all about the insult. They fought until Robby began to cry. Then Gabriel scooped up the little boy with a pointed look at Sam, who then did the same for Jo. Sam lifted Jo onto his shoulders and retrieved the buggy. The men carried the children until they reached the path where the snow was shallower because of all the people who had walked on it. Then they put the children into the buggy, wrapped up in little blankets and set off home at a fair pace, determined not to let anyone get too cold. When then got home, they turned on the fire and made warm milk for the children and hot chocolate for the adult, then they lay on the sofas, a child on each man’s chest and drifted off sleep, warm and content.


	4. Decumbent – Lying down / reclining on the floor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short & weird in a kidless 'verse.

Gabe woke up early on the 20th of December, still sore and angry and sad at Sam’s betrayal. He had broken his heart so close to Christmas that Gabe felt like leaving the whole holiday season to do its thing and burying himself with books and movies and chocolates and curling up on his bed and crying. But Dean and Cas were expecting him for Christmas, though they had tactfully arranged for Sam to go on Boxing day instead. Sam. That bastard. Gabe couldn’t believe that the man had fondling that girl’s breast. He knew that Sam was bi, but he thought that they were in love, that they were together. He guessed that had meant nothing to Sam. He opened the door to get the milk and found Sam curled on their front step, jacket under his head and a dusting of snow on his hair. Gabe was about to slam the door again, when Sam opened one eye and jumped to his feet.

“Gabe, I know that you don’t think that I deserve to be listened to, but please hear me out,” said Sam in a rush, “I wasn’t trying it on with her, and I mean there was no kissing or anything. There was nothing really. She’s really worried about getting breast cancer and she was wondering if there was a strange lump on the top of her breast. I swear it wasn’t sexual.”

Gabe was stood there with one eyebrow raised and arms folded in front of him.

“Listen, I promise it’s true, and if it means anything, she has told me that the doctors are going to run some more tests, but that they do think that it’s breast cancer. Please,” Sam got down on his knees, “I’m begging you, at least let me back in the house.”

“You numpty,” said Gabe, tears in his eyes, “I love you Sam, and I can’t help but wonder why I didn’t let you explain yourself earlier, but you can come back in, of course you can. Though you’re sleeping on the sofa for at least tonight.”

Sam grinned and stepped over the threshold.


	5. E

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This takes place in a 'verse with no kids, but they are married.

It was the 23rd of December and the cold weather found Gabe and Sam curled up together on the bed, laptop across their knees and their favourite holiday movies playing. The credits where just rolling when Gabe got up, “It’s definitely time for bed.” He pulled off his jumper and then paused. Sam had not moved and was staring at Gabe’s body, a slight smirk on his face.

He unbuttoned his shirt slowly, giving Sam one of the sexiest looks he’d ever received. Gabe pulled it off completely and spun in through the air until he let it go flying into Sam’s lap, where Sam let it lie, his eyes not leaving Gabe. Gabriel pulled his t-shirt up a little bit, revealing a strip of stomach and the waistband of his boxers. Sam was practically drooling by this point and Gabe was loving it. He pulled his t-shirt a bit higher, and again, and again, until his whole stomach was in view, then with a final flourish, he tugged it over his head and let it fall lazily to the floor. He traced his abs as he lowered his hand towards his navel and the waistband of his jeans. He opened the press-stud with a flick of his thumb, then slipped his thumb inside, opening the gap and letting his boxers peek through. Hooking a thumb inside at both hips, he gave a slight tug downwards, so they were still hanging on, but barely, then he wiggled his hips, causing the jeans to slide down his thighs to crumple in a heap on the floor. He stepped out of them gracefully and … Well, we’ll leave what happened next up to your imagination.


	6. Flaught – Snowflake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This takes place in a 'verse where they haven't been together all that long.

It was Sam and Gabe’s first Christmas as a couple who bought presents as a couple for people. They were shopping in the high street, looking for presents for family and friends. Gabe had already bought Balthazar a large bottle of fine whiskey and Sam had shelled out for a gorgeous necklace and earring set for Jo. They had been shopping for about an hour when they saw a single speck of white glide to the floor, which was quickly followed by more until it was snowing properly. Sam took Gabe’s hand and led him out of the shop they were in and the two of them stood, holding hands and lifted their heads to the sky, tongues out, trying to catch a snowflake. After a while, they stopped and began to walk through the snow fall.

“Merry Christmas, Gabe,” smiled Sam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one's so short. :)


	7. Gaud – Trick/Practical Joke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is in a 'verse where Sam and Gabe live together.

“Hey, Sam,” said Gabe, plonking himself down on the sofa next to the other man.

“Yeah?” said Sam, looking down at his computer screen and not really paying attention.

“Are you listening, ‘cause it’s actually pretty important,” said Gabriel, leaning over and tapping Sam’s nose.

“Yes, of course,” said Sam, looking up and smiling at Gabe.

Gabe looked down and away slightly, “you know that it’s Christmas eve?”

“Yeah,”

“You know it’s about 7 at night.”

“Yeah,” said Sam, not really seeing where it was going.

“I kinda forgot to buy you a Christmas present.”

Gabe grinned internally as Sam fought to keep his face from falling too dramatically. 

“That’s okay,” said Sam, smiling ever so slightly, though it was watery, “I mean, your present isn’t even that good anyway.”

“I bet it’s amazing and I feel so stupid.” Said Gabe, his plan slowly playing out to perfection.

“No, that’s okay. It’s just a present.”

The next morning dawned early and Gabe headed downstairs with Sam and went and sat in the living room. Sam made two mugs of coffee and set them down on the table in front of them. Then he pulled a boxful of presents from behind the sofa. Gabe stared down at them in mock horror before pulling his own box from behind the tree.

“I thought you hadn’t got anything …” said Sam, looking in confusion between Gabe and the box.

“As if, I could forget you, or any presents for you,” smiled Gabe, “I was just pulling your leg!”

Sam punched Gabe lightly on the shoulder, and then hugged him tightly.

“Merry Christmas, you bastard!”


	8. Hebetude – Stupidity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is about Dean, mostly.

Gabe and Sam were drinking some cider and eating mince pies on Christmas Eve. Sam was just beginning to deepen their kisses, when there was a loud knock at the door.

“Damn it,” growled Gabe, “can we leave it?”

_Open up, Sammy, I’m freezing my ass off out here!_

“No,” said Sam, slipping off Gabe with an audible groan, “it’s Dean.”

Gabe went across to the door and yanked it open.

“You’d better have a good excuse for interrupting the fun that was about to happen …” Gabe trailed off as he saw the state of Dean.

He ushered the other man inside and sat him on the sofa, calling Sam at the same time. Then he headed to the kitchen for his first aid kit.

“Dean,” said Sam, calling a greeting from the hall, before he’d taken a good look at his brother. He glanced across and did a double-take, “Dean, what happened?”

“Luci,” said Dean simply, trying to turn away, but for once Sam wouldn’t let him.

Gabe arrived and shook Sam off his brother so he could at least try and give him basic first aid. He cleaned the cuts across his cheeks and then gave him an ice pack for his eye. He felt Dean’s nose, but decided that it wasn’t broken. He sat back, so that Dean was facing him and Sam like a wayward son.

“You can’t keep letting him do this to you,” said Sam, hating the way his brother always returned to the man who hurt him so much, “it’s plain stupid.”

“But I love him, so it’s not that easy,” said Dean, not meeting his brother’s eye.

“Don’t give me that bullshit!” said Gabe, leaping to his face, “Dean, I know Luci as well as anyone, in fact, though I much regret it now, I introduced you two. Who you loved is the man that Luci used to be. The funny, sarcastic, suave man who could make you laugh and cry and cringe and grin. But Dean, that guy is gone now. Luci took Michael’s death harder than anyone else, and instead of seeing you and me and Cas and everyone he had, wherever he went, he could only see that Michael wasn’t there.”

Dean listened in a stunned silence, wishing that he was at home with Luci, though he knew that if Luci saw him again that night that it wouldn’t be to kiss and make up.

“Dean,” said Sam, “please, at least spend the night here and then if you still want to go and see Luci, then you can.”

Dean grudgingly agreed and headed off to find his bedroom and crash.

He awoke in complete darkness, knowing that something was wrong, but not quite sure what. He sat up and started. A dark shape sat at his window. Then a smash sounded and Luci climbed through the window frame.

“You thought you could get away?” he sneered, standing on the carpet, “thought you’d run to your brother?”

“I-I didn’t run here, you left me no choice,” said Dean, terrified, despite his macho exterior, Dean was not brave enough to face up to Luci in one of his tempers.

“YOU RAN!” shouted Luci, moving closer and pulling a knife from his bag.

“I didn’t, please, Luci, you have to believe me, please, PLEASE!” shouted Dean, leaping from the bed.

Luci advanced again and held the knife out in front of him. Then he jumped. Dean fell to the floor, Luci on top and the knife moving quickly between them, both of them fighting for control. Luci managed to get control for as fraction of a second and jammed the knife between his shoulder and his ribs. Dean yelled loudly and threw Luci off. Sam raced through, saw them on the floor and leapt on Luci, pulling the knife quickly out of his grasp and throwing it to the floor. Then he pulled Luci onto his front and sat on his back, pulling his arms into a lock. Then he yelled for Gabe who arrived, viewed the scene before him and ran to call 911.

The next day, Sam and Gabe visited Dean in hospital and they all agreed that maybe Luci wasn’t the best boyfriend material. Gabe mentioned in passing that he had a cousin that Dean might like and they all moved on into the new year, with hope in their hearts.


	9. Ignavia – Laziness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabe and Sam forget something.

It was the 23rd December and Sam and Gabe Winchester were curled together in bed, breathing slowly, on the verge of dropping off to sleep. Sam stirred slightly.

“What day is it tomorrow?” he asked lazily, reaching up to brush a strand of hair from his eyes.

“Friday.” Murmured Gabe. 

“Shit, its Christmas day on Saturday isn’t it?” asked Sam, sitting bolt upright in the bed.

“Fuck,” said Gabe, rolling over, “it’s Christmas Eve and we have no presents!”

“Okay, well, we’ll just have to brave the crowds and do it tomorrow.”

Sam and Gabe drifted off into an uneasy sleep, where dreams of angry friends and family danced.

The next day, Sam and Gabe were up early and they wolfed down a large breakfast of bacon and eggs. Then they made a list of people they had to buy presents for: 

Dean  
Cas  
Bobby  
Ellen  
Jo  
Ash  
Michael  
Luci  
Lisa  
Ben  
Anna  
Balthazar  
Chuck  
Becky  
Raphael & Lilly, his wife

“Okay,” said Sam, pulling on his jacket and taking his keys and wallet from the table, “let’s go.”

They raced down to the high street, finding a parking space easily before the rush of last minute buyers had arrived. Then they mooched around the town for a bit before the shops actually opened. As soon as doors began to open, they raced inside shops, determined to find everyone good presents before they were all bought up. They went into the first shop which was a gorgeous bath shop and they were assaulted with all manner of wonderful smells. Sam and Gabe split up. Gabe found some _Christmas Dream_ bubble bath for Becky, whilst Sam found a set of four soaps called _Angels Calling_ for Anna. They converged at the till and paid quickly, rushing from the shop as speedily as they had entered it.

Their next stop was at a record store where they bought Ben a load of classic rock records, because they knew that Dean was getting him a record player. They had to hope that Sam’s brother hadn’t shelled out for records as well, but Gabe texted Cas, just to check. Cas texted back to say that Dean hadn’t, and that he was surprised that the two of them were up at all. Gabe huffed, but Sam merely laughed and tugged Gabe onwards, through the ever growing crowds.

They paused briefly to consider going to find some obscure trinket for Raphael, but they decided that time was against them, so instead, they went into a liquor store and bought a lot. They bought Balthazar a bottle of well aged whiskey and some glasses to go with it. Then they bought Ash a selection of six different beers. And of course they bought alcohol for their own celebrations. They then made a brief detour back to the car to put their purchases in the boot and then re-entered the fray.

There were people everywhere at that point and they struggled to just keep an eye on each other and an idea of where they were going. They spotted a dingy looking second hand shop in an alley that they had gone down to get away from the whole population of their town who, it seemed, had forgotten to do their Christmas shopping too. They wouldn’t have gone in, but Gabe though he saw something that would be perfect for Jo, so the two of them trooped inside, much to the surprise of the man inside, probably because he hadn’t had visitors in years. That’s how it looked any way. Gabe made his way to the front of the shop and found what he thought he had seen from outside. A beautiful knife, its hilt inlaid with gems and mother of pearl, depicting a twisting and turning dragon, weaving its way round the grip. He was sure that Jo would want it for her collection, so he picked it up gently and went to show Sam. He found his husband at the back, pouring over books on mythology that seemed to be old enough to be firsthand accounts. Bobby loved myths and the books seemed to contain some that Sam was sure he’d never heard of before, so he picked up the whole pile for Bobby. They looked around more, taken by this quaint little shop and found a series of African wood carvings that would replace the picture that Raphael had broken only the other month, depicting various animals that tied in well with his wife’s job at the zoo. They piled their whole trove of loot onto the counter and paid the fee, which they both thought was very reasonable. They thanked the proprietor and told him that they would probably be back again, at the very least, the next Christmas.

Sam took Gabe’s hand and headed out towards the long street where everyone else was hurrying along, desperate for their last minute presents. The two of them ducked into a jeweller’s to find a gift for Lisa. They looked around for ages, not quite sure what they were looking for. Eventually, they found a necklace with a couple of tiny opals in it. They bought it and moved on, because time was already running short of time.

They made their way into the square, where they bought Ellen a couple of new plaid shirts. Michael got a gorgeous painting of the mountains and Luci got some new cookbooks. They found an antique writing desk for Chuck and carried it all back to the car. They paused for lunch, and then headed out to look for the final gifts. Sam scoured the high street for something he thought Dean might like, whilst Gabe searched to backstreets for something quaint and out of the way for Cas. Sam eventually chose a new leather jacket in brown leather and a record shaped key-ring for the impala’s keys. Gabe found a gorgeous little bookshop and bought Cas a pile of books that had been published on his birthday. They met up at the car and drove home with all their purchases. By the time they went to bed that night, the presents were all wrapped neatly and under their Christmas tree.


	10. Jocoserious – Half serious, half joking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabe asks questions.

Gabe was curled up next to Sam on the sofa, watching some kind of cheesy Christmas movie. He sat up and said, “If someone proposed to you on Christmas, what would you say?”  
Sam grunted in surprise and looked round, tearing his eyes off the smooch love scene on the screen. Gabe looked across at him, a slight smirk on his face. Sam was confused by the question, not quite sure what Gabe was saying.

“What?”

“If someone proposed to you on Christmas, what would you say?”

“Um, well, I would maybe say yes, but I’m not really sure,”

“What if they got down on one knee, and looked up at you with adoration?”

“Um, probably,”

“What if they took you out on to a star-lit balcony and they took your hand and looked up at the sky and said that you were more beautiful than the stars?”

“Gabe, is this going somewhere?”

“What if they cooked for you and then they took you out to the seaside and you walked along the beach in the last rays of the sun?”

“Sure, why not

“What if they told you that in all their wanderings they had never met a man more beautiful than you and that they had never felt so safe and warm and that you were the only thing they needed to live on?”

“Yes. I would,” said Sam, looking straight at Gabe for the first time.

“Alright,” said Gabe and with no further comment he turned back to the film.

And that was the year that Sam rang up Dean on Boxing day to tell him that he was engaged.


	11. Kinchin – child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baby alert!!

“Hey, Munchkin,” said Gabe, lifting their 18 month old into his arms, “Daddy’s here.”

He smiled at her and whisked her through the air and she giggled loudly.

“You gonna come down and join the party yet?” asked Sam, leaning up the stairs.

Gabe ran downstairs and plonked himself next to Sam on the sofa and lifting baby Mary high above his head. She squealed in laughter and reached down for her dad.

“Yeah,” grinned Gabe, “you know who your daddy is.”

Sam looked across at them and rolled his eyes. Just as he was about to lift the baby from Gabe’s arms, the doorbell rang and his husband leapt up to open it.

“Hey, oh aren’t you gorgeous?”

“I know.”

“I was talking to Mary, Gabe.”

“Yeah, right,” said Gabe, lifting the baby higher on his hip and leading Jo and Ellen through to the kitchen.

“Hey Sam, long time no see,” said Ellen, going in for a hug.

“Yeah, too long,” said Sam, returning the hug with a practiced stoop. He hugged Jo too, then led them through to the kitchen to get drinks whilst Gabe continued to play with Mary.

About twenty minutes after their first visitors arrived, the whole family was gathered around. Dean and Cas had arrived and were proudly showing off their new rings. They were recently engaged. Jo, Ellen and Ash were starting on their second round of drinks, whilst Sam was fetching Bobby and Crowley their first. Michael, Luci and Raphael were delayed by the traffic, but everyone else was sat around drinking and chatting. Jo had taken the opportunity to bombard Cas with questions about the house that Dean was building for them and swoon over how romantic it all was. But mostly the family played with Mary. Crowley took her to the park and pushed her so hard on the swings that she nearly fell out. Jo played dolls with her for hours and never tired. Ellen fed her throughout the turkey roast, though she kept throwing her food over her head and giggling about it. Ash helped her to draw and then pinned the pictures up around the room and hung them from the Christmas tree. When Michael, Luci and Raphael arrived, they took her to the swimming pool and spent ages splashing about with her in the shallow end. When she got tired, they brought her home and Cas helped feed her again. Bobby read her a bedtime story and then Dean rocked her and sang her to sleep. At the end of the day, all the adults sat down and shared gifts, wine and beer until the baby woke and the whole process began again.

Sam and Gabe had never had a more relaxing Christmas.


	12. Levin – lightning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one's different.

Sam was at work late that night. Maybe if he’d bunked off early or if he hadn’t had to get Dan that extra cup of coffee, it wouldn’t have happened. But it did. As he began to walk home, the rain started. It poured down around him, soaking his clothes and hair. He was just walking down his road when an almighty flash erupted from the sky.

Gabriel was watching the storm from his window and wondering when Sam was going to be home. It was his last day of work before the Christmas holidays started (Christmas Eve. Eve.) and Gabe was looking forward to lazy mornings in bed and great amounts of alcohol on the nights. Sam was already late and Gabe was worried, so he decided to take the car and go and find Sam, taking the route he knew his husband walked home. He had just got into the car when another flash of lightning and a crack of thunder sounded. He turned on the engine and left the drive. He nearly missed Sam’s unconscious body because it was too dark to see anything properly. He saw a shape on the floor and wondered whether a homeless man was asleep and out in the rain, so he parked and thought that he would try to pull the man into a doorway and out of the rain. But as he got closer, pulling his collar up around his face, he saw that it was a lanky form that he knew well and he gasped. He hurried over and pulled the phone from his pocket, dialling the emergency services even as he knelt by the body, tears mingling with the rain drops on his face. 

“Hello?” asked the lady on the other end, “this is the emergency services, what is your emergency?”

“I-it’s Sam, my husband, he’s collapsed. He was out in the storm … I don’t know; he’s unconscious on the floor and I don’t know what to do,” stammered Gabe down the phone.

“Okay, where are you?”

“I’m on West Street, just outside number 5,” said Gabe.

“Okay, I’ve dispatched an ambulance to your location, but I’d like to keep you on the line.”

“Mh-hm,” said Gabe, who was trying to see if Sam’s heart was working at all.

“Can you check his pulse for me?” she asked, typing something into her computer.

“Shouldn’t I get him out of the rain?” asked Gabe, worried because Sam’s lips were turning blue.

“If his heart isn’t working, we need to re-start it and you are there, so you need to do it.”

Gabe rolled Sam onto his back and felt his neck for a heartbeat. Nothing. He felt at his chest. Nothing. He knelt up, feeling the rain water pooling about his ankles and knees, then he bashed his hands onto Sam’s chest repeatedly. Thump, thump, thump. He paused and breathed out deeply into Sam’s mouth, feeling the air rush into his lungs and out of them again. He listened for the heartbeat again. The phone was on Sam’s outspread hand and Gabe kept pounding away, desperate to keep Sam alive until the ambulance arrived. Thump, thump, thump. He could hear the silence wailing in the distance and breathed a slight sigh of relief, but he didn’t stop. He kept on doing CPR. Thump, thump, thump. The ambulance pulled to a halt and two men got out, lifting a stretcher down behind them. Gabe moved aside and picked up the phone and realised that the lady on the other end had hung up. He slid the soaking phone into his jacket and stood up, letting the professionals take over. He went over to his car and climbed in, making sure that the ambulance crew knew where he’d gone. A few minutes later, they motioned for him to follow as they put Sam in the back and headed to the hospital. Gabe followed, keeping his windscreen wipers at full speed and turning the heating up. He pulled into the car park and immediately hit the hand break and left, only just remembering to buy a ticket. He raced into A&E, still dripping wet, and raced up to the desk. He stared down at the lady behind the desk and asked, “Where’s Sam?”

“Who’s Sam?” she asked, sensing that she would need to deal with this dripping, crying man delicately.

“My husband. He’s a lighting strike victim,” said Gabriel.

“Ah, they said you’d be along shortly. If you’d like to go into the third room on your left, room 345,” she pointed in the direction of the room and Gabe followed her finger and entered the room.

He did not see Sam lying there as he’d expected. Instead, the room was empty, except for a small bed and a sink with a cup. He got himself a drink and drank heavily, needing to do something, anything. He paced the floor, when he was finished, burning all his nervous energy. About three minutes later, a short doctor came in and asked him a lot of questions about himself and Sam. He answered all of them as politely as he could, but he was really worried about Sam. As the doctor made to leave, Gabe said, “What about Sam? What about him?!”

“He is stable and you can go and see him, but he’s not due to leave before Christmas.”

Gabe smiled, though his heart was breaking. He was really upset that he wasn’t going to be able to spend his first Christmas married to Sam with him, but he was just happy that Sam was okay and in no serious danger.  
He went through to the other room and saw his husband on the bed. He looked so pale, but there was a cup of coffee on the table, so Gabe assumed he’d been awake enough to demand caffeine. He sat down next to the bed and laid his hand over Sam’s. Sam’s eyes flickered open and he smiled when he saw who it was.

“Hey Dumbass, why didn’t you call?” said Gabe, leaning over and kissing Sam gently.

“I guess I didn’t think it would ever happen to me,” said Sam, trying to sit up and wincing.

“Stay right there,” said Gabe, just staring down at him and smiling slightly.

They talked and talked, until the nurse came and told Gabe that he had to go home, and even then Gabe insisted that he wouldn’t leave Sam and he fell asleep in the chair, his hand still holding Sam’s. The next morning Sam insisted that Gabriel should go home, eat and shower. Gabe made him promise not to move or do anything stupid, then he went out into the street, heading for their house. When he got there, he showered, relishing the feel of the water coursing over his skin and down the drain. Then he dried off and redressed. On his way back to the hospital he stopped at the shop to pick up a few things, then headed on. He reached the hospital and went straight into Sam’s room, pulling the door quietly behind him. Sam was asleep on the bed and so Gabriel busied himself with his other job until Sam woke.

When Sam opened his eyes a crack, he became very confused; this wasn’t the room he’d gone to sleep in. A small fake Christmas tree stood in the corner, festooned with tinsel, baubles and lights. Around the room hung taught Christmas chains in reds and greens, reflecting the light across the walls. Cards stood on the table next to him along with a novelty Santa toy that he recognised from Gabe’s office. An iPod dock sat in the corner, merrily playing carols and other Christmas music. He smiled through the haziness of waking and sat up. At that moment, Gabriel pushed open the door and entered carrying a tray of two hot chocolates and a pair of stockings. He hung them from the end of Sam’s bed then put the drinks down on the table.

“I thought this place could do with a little more Christmas cheer,” said Gabe, smiling.

“I love it, thanks Gabe,” said Sam, taking a sip of the frothy beverage. 

Gabriel sat down next to Sam and he didn’t move for the rest of the day, electing instead to talk to Sam and take phone calls about Sam’s condition. He fell asleep in the chair again. He woke before Sam and hastily filled the stocking, because though Father Christmas doesn’t visit adults, they liked to keep up the tradition. Then he went and bought two coffees and some mince pies, choosing – as always – the healthy breakfast option.  
When he arrived back, his stocking was also full and Sam was sat up in bed, paper on his knee and music playing.

“Merry Christmas, Sam,”

“Merry Christmas, Gabe,"


	13. Mabble – to wrap up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one's not great.

Gabe and Sam were sat in their living room, arms around one another, a hot chocolate each. Sam said something that Gabe didn’t hear, because he was watching his face with some kind of awe.

“Oi,” said Sam, hitting Gabe lightly on the shoulder and raising one eyebrow, “are you listening?”

“Of course I am,” said Gabe, “you said ‘Gabe, you are really hot and I love you to pieces!’”

“No, I said that we need to wrap all our presents because we haven’t done it yet and we won’t have time later,” Sam took one look at Gabe’s face and continued, “and no, we’re not doing it in the car as we drive from place to place in order to see the whole family.”

Gabe pulled a face, but struggled to his feet anyway. He went into the roof space and dragged down the large box of Christmas wrapping paper, whilst Sam went into the under-stairs cupboard and got out the presents. They met again in the living room and, to the accompaniment of the crackling fire, began to wrap.

Gabe started with the Bible. It had a gorgeous wooden cover, inlaid with swirling vines of gold and mother of pearl. Michael was very religious and the boys knew that he’d love it. It was also nice and easy to wrap, so Gabe thought it was a good thing to start with.

Sam picked up the similarly boxed-hairdryer that they had bought Ellen, after she had refused to let them pay for the one they’d broken in November. He wrapped it quickly, and then tied a long blue bow around it and labelled it _‘We know you haven’t got another yet! So, Merry Christmas!”_

Gabe tugged the box closer, searching for anything else that was easy to wrap. Finding nothing, he pulled out the apron and chef’s hat that he’d bought Luci and attempted to wrap them. After about three minutes of hilarity, Sam moved over and re-folded the apron, flattening the chef’s hat. Then he lay them on top of a piece of tissue paper and folded the paper round the present, asking Gabe to stick a piece of sellotape on to the package, which he did, effectively sealing the package. Then Sam slipped it into a bag and gave it to Gabe to label. _Merry Christmas, you devil in the kitchen._

Then Sam put the three bottles they’d bought Ash into a bag and tagged it: Don’t drink them all at once!  
Sam struggled briefly with Becky’s new telescope, but Gabe assisted and they managed to wrap it so it didn’t look like a telescope. Then he labelled it with a pink bow. _For your ‘star-gazing’!_

Ben’s band shirts were easy to wrap and soon they joined the ever growing pile with the label: _We can’t save you now, so we might as well help you fall._

Jo got some bangles in a bag and a cute new tank top on top. These were simply labelled, _Merry Christmas._

Sam put Anna’s headphones and new portable radio player into a bag and labelled it, Now you can pretend you know all the secrets!

Chuck got a new smart phone from the whole family and it had fallen to Sam and Gabe to wrap it. They used penguin wrapping paper to wrap it and then tagged it, and wrote _From us all, because you need it._

Lisa’s new lamp shade was harder to wrap and in the end, they found a big bag and put it inside with a ribbon round the handles. _To shed some light this year._

Gabe attempted to wrap Raphael’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles T-shirt, but had to give up halfway through and give it to Sam, who wrapped it expertly in about three minutes. _We just couldn’t resist._

Bobby’s new hat was easy, because they just chucked it into a bag and simply tagged it. _Finally, a new one._

Balthazar’s Champagne went into a bag without a label because they forgot. 

The keys for Cas and Dean’s new car, that they’d been after for years but not had enough cash for, went into a small box with the label, _Merry Christmas, you deserve it!_


	14. Nidulation – nest-building

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy!

It was the 23rd of December and Gabe was cold. He could feel the freezing wind blowing outside the house as he curled up on the sofa, desperately trying to keep warm. The over-sized hoody that he’d stolen from Sam’s wardrobe, though it looked comically baggy and cute, was not very warm at all. He huddled down closer, waiting for the cold to be replaced with numbness. He wondered somewhere in his brain why the heating hadn’t kicked in, but moving to find out would only cause intense freezing. The door clicked behind him and he heard Sam gasp as he entered the icy house.

“Gabe, it’s freezing in here,” said Sam, coming into the room to see Gabe curled as tight as physically possible, “why don’t you turn the heating on?”

Gabriel murmured and Sam shook his head. He headed out into the hall, making his way along the ice slide to the kitchen where the thermostat was telling him that it was definitely 27°C. Sam rolled his eyes and hit the thing in an attempt to get the display to change. Nothing happened. He groaned and dropped his head, looking down at the floor. Then he left the kitchen, skated back to the living room, picking up the phone and the directory on the way past, and plonked down next to Gabe, huddling close for warmth. Then he dialled the number of the thermostat company and waited.

“Hello, I’m Sam Winchester, you made our heating system … Yes, that’s right … 76 Worsall Avenue … the thermostat reads 27°C and yet it’s freezing in here … no, I’m not mistaken about the reading; I’ve checked it multiple times … yes … no, I – Of course not … alright, thank you for your help!”

Sam threw the phone down beside him and hugged Gabe closer.

“They won’t be able to come till the day after Boxing Day,” he murmured, his voice muffled by Gabe’s hair.

Gabe groaned, “I don’t think I can survive that long Sam; it’s like living in an igloo without it being awesome.”

Sam grinned and huffed.

“Come on,” he said, dragging Gabe to his feet, “I’ve got an idea.”

He pulled Gabe up the stairs and into their bedroom. There he got out their suitcase and began chucking their Christmas clothes in for their journey to Dean and Cas’ on Christmas Eve night. Then he pulled the blankets and quilt off their bed. Gabe looked at him in amazement and confusion. Sam gave him no time to question him and instead dumped the whole pile on him and told him to take them downstairs. Gabe did as he was told and put the pile of warm clothing onto the sofa. Sam came through the door a couple of minutes later, ladened with more warm stuff. That’s when Gabe caught on. They pulled on warm jumpers and then headed into the kitchen for more supplies. Gabe pulled pack after pack of food down and bar after bar of chocolate whilst Sam collected bottles and bottles of drinks. Then they left the kitchen with their rations and went back through to the living room. They piled their prizes high on their coffee table and adorned it with a stack of DVDs, the phone and the TV remote. Then they built. They used every single warm item of fabric that they could find in the house and constructed a large nest-like tent structure which they could burrow in.

They unlocked the door and then burrowed in to watch all eight seasons of How I Met Your Mother. Sam ordered pizza from their local restaurant, telling the owner just to let himself in and then drop the latch on his way out. These orders were obeyed and for the next two days the boys didn’t leave the sofa except to use the toilet or switch DVDs.


	15. Oeillade – Glance/ ogle/ wink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not really very Christmas-y this one. Or long...

Sam stood at the bar, his muscles straining against his midnight blue shirt. His long legs were wearing dark jeans and his hair looked particularly luscious. Well, at least that’s what the man sat next to him at the bar thought. Gabe could see it from across the room in their booth. He fumed silently, but he knew that Sam could handle it on his own.

Sam ordered two beers and then stood there waiting, leaning on the bar slightly and stretching his shoulders out.

“A little tense there, hot stuff?” asked a voice beside him, startling him out of his day dream about Gabe.

“Er … no, I’m fine thank you,” said Sam, taking a step away from the voice and turning to look at the speaker.

“Really? You look like you could do with a massage to me,” said the man, sloping from his chair and standing behind Sam, “just bend down and I’ll give you a massage.”

Gabe watched as the scene evolved before him. He knew he had to act when the other man climbed snake-like from his chair to stand beside Sam.

Gabe stood, straightened his jacket and wandered as casually as he could over to the bar.

“Hey, honey,” said Gabe, standing next to Sam, “who’s this, I don’t think you’ve introduced me, darling?”

“Oh, hey,” grinned Sam, pathetically glad for Gabe’s intervention, “I’m not really sure who this is, really?”

“Ah, well, though I’m sure this man is lovely company,” Gabe slipped his arm through Sam’s, “we’re going to be late for the theatre.”

“Sorry, I completely forgot,” said Sam, smiling across at the other man, “must dash.”

They left quickly and headed directly home, lest the other man were to try and follow them to the ‘theatre’.


	16. Parbreak – To throw-up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wohoo, another day bites the dust. Another short one though.

T’was the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. Except, Gabe was awake. He could feel the sweat dribbling down his forehead as he lay next to Sam and he was breathing heavily. Suddenly, he leapt from the bed and raced to the bathroom, emptying the contents of his stomach into the toilet. Tear mixed with the sweat as he sat there early on Christmas morning. Then he felt a soft hand on his back and Sam stood there, rubbing small circles across his shoulder blades.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” said Gabe, his voice rough.

“That’s okay,” said Sam, crouching beside him, “that’s what I’m here for.”

Gabe buried his head against Sam’s shoulder, briefly, but he had to pull away again to throw up.

“Oh Gabe,” sighed Sam, helping his partner to his feet and leading him back through to the bedroom Gabe sat on the edge of the bed and tried not to vomit whilst Sam manoeuvred his way around, finding all the things that he needed to make sure that Gabe was comfortable. He bustled back in to find him curled up in a ball murmuring softly. He placed the two bowls he’d fetched from the kitchen beside the bed. He’d also brought some towels and a glass of water, an empty hot water bottle and their laptop. He put them all on the bed beside Gabe and helped Gabe get under the covers. Then he went through to the on-suite and filled the hot water bottle and one of the bowls with hot water from the tap. Then he picked up the flannel from beside the sink and went to sit beside Gabe. One bowl sat on Gabe’s beside table on top of the towels in case Gabe needed to be sick again. The glass of water sat next to it and Gabe had pulled the box of tissues from under the bed too. The now hot hot water bottle went across Gabe’s stomach and the other bowl of hot water sat on Sam’s bedside table. Sam sat close to Gabe and lifted the laptop onto his knee. Gabe pulled the headphone and splitters from their draw and plugged them in, handing one set to Sam and slipping another into his own ears. Sam pressed play and The Holiday started. They lay there for the rest of the night, watching the movie and some others. In the morning, Sam rang Dean and Cas to tell them that they wouldn’t be coming after all because Gabe was in. Then Sam let Gabe snooze the day away and looked after him as well as he could. By the 27th of December, Gabe was back on his feet and eating ridiculous amounts of Christmas sweets.


	17. Quidditative – Quirky/eccentric

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not sure if this one actually fits the title. What do you think?

Gabe was old now, very old. That’s what the family said when they needed an excuse not to invite him for Christmas. Everyone knew that Gabriel could keep up with even the youngest children in energy. That wasn’t the real reason why people were uncomfortable having him around. It also wasn’t that he ate too many sweets, or smelled vaguely of sausages at all times. It was the other things. There was that year that he had locked himself in the bedroom and wouldn’t come out until they brought him his moose? Then there was that holiday season where he kept talking about the time that he ‘saved the world’ with a giant, an alcoholic and a trench-coat. How about that year where he referred to himself as ‘we’ for the whole day? ‘We’ll have the pie for pudding, thank you.’ Or that Christmas when he insisted that he had known the devil personally and entertained all the kids for hours with these stories of time gone by. They didn’t invite Great-uncle Gabe, because he was too locked up in the imagined past that he barely even noticed them. He called them Dean and Cas and Sam. They’d never even known anyone by those names, and Balthazar and Lucifer? He was taking the piss, surely? They didn’t invite Gabe, because Gabe was happy at home. With the ghosts of the past.


	18. Riant – Laughing/merry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Parents!!

Gabe hoisted his pillow up higher. It was falling out and he felt ridiculous. But instead of objecting, he merely pulled a face at Sam and finished putting on his costume. He had no idea why he’d ever signed up to do this stupid job. He’d wanted to run the sweet stall or the tombola or something. He’d wanted to do anything but this really. But instead here he was, climbing into a giant red suit and stuffing a pillow up his shirt. He tugged his fake beard on and scratched absentmindedly at his jaw. The hat that Sam put on his head made him sweaty and uncomfortable. He didn’t understand how he’d ended up doing this and not Sam. After all, Sam was the tall one. But for once, Gabriel didn’t complain. Instead he sat down on his chair and positioned himself in a chair where he was as comfy as he could be, which was about as comfy as a man would be sat on a bed of nails. He nodded once to Sam, who was dressed as a ridiculously oversized elf and who ushered in the first child. The little boy came over and clambered up onto Gabe’s knee.

“Hello there,” said Gabe in his best Santa accent, “What’s your name then?”

“James,” said the kid, wriggling on Gabe’s knee. 

“Hey, James,” said Santa, “And what would you like for Christmas?”

“An iPod,” said James looking up with great hope.

“Well, maybe, there’ll be one waiting for you on Christmas morning, but for now, take this.”

Gabe held out a present that Sam had just given him and James took it eagerly. Gabe lifted the boy back to the floor and James scampered away.

 

Two hours later, Gabe took off his ridiculous suit and went home for some coffee.


	19. Senectitude – Old Age

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aged.

When Sam and Gabe turned eighty, they had changed a lot. They were no longer hunters and they no longer felt like the world was always trying to kill them. They were content. And they still loved Christmas. They woke every Christmas morning to the sound of children running down the stairs. Then they themselves creeped out of bed and went down to the living room where they found their grandchildren unwrapping presents from Father Christmas and laughing. Then they would gather the children for Christmas movie and let the adults get on with preparing Christmas dinner. After the film had finished the older children would take the younger children out to the park leaving the adults alone. Sam and Gabe would then help by peeling carrots and chopping vegetables until there were no more jobs to do in the kitchen and then they would retire, happily, to the living room, wine glass in hand. When the children return they sat down on the table to eat the delicious Christmas dinner. And then every year, without fail, Sam and Gabe fell asleep in each other’s arms, on the sofa, whilst everyone else was gleefully unwrapping presents. And so they wouldn’t have it any other way.


	20. Telestich – Poem where the final letters of each line spell a word

Dean and Cas swore they were platonic,  
But Gabe and Sam saw through,  
They hatched a plot for the end of the year,  
To remove the couple’s alibi,  
They took them both to separate rooms,  
And recorded confessions of enchantment,  
And played them to the other of them,  
Causing them to come together. A,  
Fact that Sam and Gabe took full credit for that Christmas.


	21. Unorthodox – breaking from tradition

One year Sam and Gabe decided to be weird, to celebrate Christmas on Boxing Day and to have an unusual Christmas dinner by having a picnic in their garden instead. The invited Dean and Cas, but no one else, because everyone else was celebrating Christmas day as usual. They got up on Christmas morning and then began to treat it as a normal day, by having toast and marmalade for breakfast and a then showering and dressing in simple clothes. Then they sat down to the jobs that they did every weekend, though they were boring, because they want to keep the illusion of unorthodoxy. Then on Boxing Day they woke very early to exchange gifts wrapped in a plain paper. Dean and Cas arrived at about 11.00, bearing their own plainly wrapped gifts and some sandwiches for the picnic. They went out into their garden, glad it was a mild winter, and laid out the rug before sitting down to a fantastic spread of summer foods. They ate, they drank, and they were merry. Though it was an unusual Christmas it was a wonderful Christmas, and they wouldn’t change it for the world.


	22. Virtual – Not physically there or existing

Sam sat in his hotel room feeling fairly miserable. He was tired and he was a long way from home, but mostly he missed Gabe. It was their first Christmas apart after their marriage, and Sam wished with all his heart that he was at home, with Gabe. But Sam was in a hotel room half way across the country, miles from his home and miles from his lover and miles from anyone who cared. Sam pulled out his laptop and booted up. The minute Skype opened Sam clicked on Gabe’s name and called. He turned on the video function just before Gabe picked up. He stared at Gabe’s eyes for a moment lost in his pain of not being there, with him. Then Gabe cleared his throat and brought Sam back to the present. They chatted for a while, not quite knowing what to say so far from each other, needing to say so much, but wanting to say so little. In the end Sam was called away, much to his regret, from the beautiful discussion they had been having about the presence each had given the other. Gabe and Sam went their different ways until New Year’s Day when they once again found themselves in each other’s arms, home at last.


End file.
